Permission to Flee
by CCoco
Summary: Can any good come of an arranged marriage with a Malfoy? Hermione doesn't think so. And how will people react when a question from her past is answered? Hr/D AU story.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own many of the characters, and the Harry Potter Universe belongs to JK Rowling [I wish I were her, though!] This Disclaimer goes for the whole story. I just hate being repetitive.  
  
Author's Note [A/N]- This is an AU fic, which means that it is set in an alternate Harry Potter Universe, where characters can behave differently and some characters have never even met each other. Before I start this story, I should give you some background on what differences there are between the canon Draco and Hermione and MY Draco and Hermione. In this story, Draco is pretty much the same- an arrogant sadistic jerk. Hermione, though she is still very smart and resourceful, attended Beaxbatons Academy instead of Hogwarts. Her parents are Evelyn and Alexander Coltone, a wealthy wizarding couple. They own a very profitable business whose main investor is Lucius Malfoy. I know that Draco and Hermione are supposed to be the same age, but for my purposes Harmione is 17 and Draco is 19. After that exhaustingly long Author's note, I'll finally let you read the story..  
  
Chapter One  
  
"What!?" Hermione Coltone's cheeks burned, and she sprang from the armchair she had been sitting in to glare at her parents. "You can't do that to me- you have no right to force me to-"  
  
"Hermione, honey, calm down! We need to talk about this civilly," said her mother. Evelyn Coltone was sitting properly in another plush armchair, a china teacup held against the fair skin of her palm. Her chin-length brown hair was swept into a precise fashion that left no stray strands.  
  
"Your mother is right. I know you're angry about this right now, but I think that once you consider it, it won't seem so terrible." Hermione's father, Alexander Coltone, was standing next to Evelyn's chair, his dark eyes authoritative under his black hair. Hermione turned to look at him, a mixture of fury and disbelief on her face.  
  
"I don't believe this! You really can't do this to me! My birth parents would never do this to me, and-"  
  
Hermione was cut off by the strong voice of Alexander, who said loudly, "Don't you dare bring them up, Hermione. We are your parents. Adopted or not, you will always legally be our daughter. Until you turn seventeen in September, you are under our supervision and rules."  
  
After seeing the sad look in her mother's eyes, Hermione instantly regretted mentioning her birth parents. Her comment hadn't been meant to hurt Evelyn and Alexander, and had only been spoken out of desperation. She would do anything to avoid what they were telling her she had to do, but would never go as far as to hurt them. She knew that they would always be there for her, and that they were her real parents. The Coltones had adopted and raised her since she had been two months old. Hermione knew nothing about her birth parents except that they had died when she was still an infant and she had been left to an adoption agency.  
  
"I know that I'm still your responsibility, but I still don't believe that you're making me do this. Daughters shouldn't be considered something that you can trade to a business partner in order to ensure investment." Hermione managed to get her words out without shouting, and soon sat down in her chair.  
  
"You know that this isn't about business," said Evelyn, her cheeks tinted pink. "We want you to have a good future, and this is the best way for you to have a good life. Besides, Alex and mine's marriage was arranged by our parents, and look how happy we are."  
  
"Your marriage was arranged? You must have been as angry as I am when your parents told you!"  
  
"Yes, we were, Hermione, but that changed after the wedding. We fell in love, and started our family by getting you. We just want you to be as happy as we are," said Alex. When his daughter started to interrupt, he added, "and you will be happy once you discover that what we are doing is for the best."  
  
Hermione looked, speechless, from her mother to her father. She still didn't believe this, but her curious mind won over and she asked, "When is this supposed wedding, anyway?"  
  
Evelyn gave her husband a knowing look before replying, "In a month."  
  
Hermione's eyes shot open, and she resisted the urge to leap to her feet again. Alex saw her reaction and quickly said, "Now, now, Hermione. That was the latest date that Mr. Malfoy would agree to. He wanted to push the wedding in two weeks but I managed to convince him to set a later date."  
  
She slid back in her chair, knowing that arguing right now would be useless. Her question slipped between her lips before she could pull it back in, and she ended up saying it softly. "Have I ever even met his son?"  
  
"Only when you were young. But Lucius's son hasn't attended many of our parties or balls. He travels a lot- some kind of foreign relations job for the Ministry."  
  
Hermione nodded her head slightly and stood to leave the room. She walked past her parents and into the hall. Her feet made the familiar path to the mansion's library, with the silence only interrupted by her shoes clicking on the marble floors. She entered the Library and walked to the shelves that held books on wizarding laws. Picking out several books that looked helpful, she brought them to a table and started flicking through the pages.  
  
If she couldn't convince her parents to drop the notion of an arranged marriage, Hermione would find a way to prove what they were doing didn't have to affect her. And if she couldn't find any proof for her cause, then they would have to drag her down the aisle. If it came to that, she would fight every step, screaming and yelling if she had to.  
  
As she turned a page, she whispered into the silence. "I hope you know what you're getting into, Draco Malfoy."  
  
[A/N: Okay, I know it's short and all, but please ignore that and review! I will love you eternally. Really. The next chapter includes the wedding shower, and an engagement ring! I know- what fun! See you hopefully soon.] 


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, before I let you rush onto the story, I just want to say three things:  
  
One- I made a mistake in the first chapter, and when I had Hermione's dad say, "Until you turn seventeen in September, you are under our supervision and rules," I meant eighteen instead of seventeen. (Hermione is already seventeen.)  
  
Two- I changed the title of this story from "Arrangements" to "Permission to Flee" because I decided the original title was boring. It was too general and I only used it in the first place because I couldn't think of a better one. (Forgive me? Please?)  
  
Three- A huge, big, capitalized THANKYOU to the people who reviewed! You were all really supportive, and knowing that someone actually likes the story's beginning made me sure that I wanted to continue it. While I'm on that subject, I will most likely be updating once a week on either Fridays or Saturdays.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
As the time until the wedding grew steadily shorter, Hermione had less and less time to hole herself up in the Library and look for evidence that this was not allowed to happen. During the day she was constantly being fitted for different wedding dresses, sitting by her mother and pretending to be interested in the arrangements, or hearing tales from Alex about Draco Malfoy's accomplishments.  
  
When the wedding was two weeks away, Hermione's brain had started to nag her. She couldn't give up, but all the books she had read contained nothing against arranged marriages. It seemed as if marriages arranged through parents had been tradition for thousands of years in wizarding society. With each passing moment she spent searching through dusty volumes, her desperation reached new levels. What if she couldn't find something in time? Would she be forced to stay with a man she didn't know for the rest of her life?  
  
In her investigation for legal support towards her predicament, she had found out exactly what traditional wedding vows were between a witch and a wizard. After reading about it, she had become more panicked than ever. It turned out that there was practically no divorce after being married to a wizard- the vows were magical and could not be broken.  
  
Fortunately, (or unfortunately- it depends on how you see things) there was a modern version of wedding vows, created in 1924 because the old vows put many more restrictions on women than men. The old vows, which had been used since before the sixth century, among other things, made brides swear to obey their husbands under all circumstances. The grooms were much less limited, and as long as they respected their wives, they were very unlikely to break the vows. The new vows, however, merely required both the bride and groom to love and respect each other.  
  
Both versions looked dismal to Hermione; if the wedding used the old vows, she would have to do everything he said; if the wedding used the new ones, she would be forced to love him. She didn't know how it could make her feel love for someone she already hated, but she couldn't doubt the power of magic.  
  
When the time was dwindling to a week and a half, Evelyn gave Hermione another unpleasant surprise.  
  
"The wedding shower is tomorrow," she informed Hermione one day over lunch.  
  
"Wedding shower?" Hermione's words came out incredulous, and she dropped her fork on the plate with a clang.  
  
"Of course, dear. Every bride-to-be has to have a wedding shower. It will be delightful- all my friends are so happy that you're getting married! We're going to decorate the Dining Hall with.." Hermione let her mother's cheerful words wash over her. It wasn't until she heard Evelyn's last sentence that she was pulled out of her thoughts. ".Mrs. Malfoy will be so glad to finally meet you."  
  
"I'm going to meet his Mother?"  
  
"Well, of course. I wish you could meet Draco and Mr. Malfoy before the wedding, but it's simply out of the question."  
  
Hermione had actually been relieved when her mother had told her a few days earlier that she wouldn't meet Draco until the day of the wedding. Not knowing the man she would marry actually made it easier for Hermione to imagine that he might not be as terrible as he would most likely be.  
  
Hermione had taken to reading late into the night at the Library, and as a result was getting little sleep. So she was understandably grumpy when a maid awoke her at seven the next morning. The servant was quite persistent, and eventually Hermione dragged herself out of bed and started to get ready for breakfast with Evelyn and Alexander.  
  
At breakfast Hermione was given a detailed description of how to behave at the wedding shower, who was who, and what to expect in the form of congratulations. It had been hard enough trying to act agreeable around her family when the topic of the wedding came up, but keeping up the charade for four hours straight with complete strangers might just push her over the edge.  
  
Once the servants had whisked the dishes off the table, Hermione was ushered up the stairs by her mother. Getting ready proved to be a more tedious task than it normally was. Evelyn had ordered a very fashionable, custom-made dress from an expensive witches boutique. From the first glance of the light pink dress, Hermione knew she hated the outfit. However, no matter how loud she pleaded that the dress was too short, tight, and thin, Evelyn insisted that she put it on.  
  
Standing in front of a long mirror, Hermione looked at her reflection with uncertainty. She no longer looked like the Hermione she had always known. Now, with her long auburn hair twisted on the top of her head, the dress hugging her every curve, and wobbling in three-inch high heels, Hermione knew it was too much.  
  
She tried to beg her mother to let her wear something else, but reached dead-ends with every argument. Sighing, she picked up the matching purse and walked slowly (she was trying not to trip) down the staircase and into the Dining Hall.  
  
At eleven forty five, fifteen minutes before the rest of the guests were to get there, a carriage arrived in the drive and Evelyn called Hermione to the front doors. They watched as the carriage's driver got out to help a thin blond lady down.  
  
"I thought the guests would be coming at twelve," whispered Hermione to her mother.  
  
"Yes, they are, but Narcissa Malfoy was to come earlier," said Evelyn quietly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well. Every bride has to have an engagement ring, so she'll be bringing you yours."  
  
"Engagement ring?" Hermione's head began to spin. She was pretty sure it was a bad omen if one's engagement ring didn't come from your fiancée, but from his mother.  
  
Narcissa Malfoy walked gracefully up the front steps, and Evelyn opened the door to greet her. After her mother hugged Mrs. Malfoy, Evelyn stepped aside and introduced Hermione. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy," said Hermione, forcing a smile onto her face.  
  
"The pleasure's all mine, Hermione. Lucius and I haven't seen you for years- you've certainly grown up." Her eyes lingered on Hermione's dress and she added, "Where did you get that dress? It's stunning! All it needs is some jewelry to compliment it."  
  
Reaching into her handbag, Mrs. Malfoy took out a black jewelry box and handed it to Hermione. "Draco picked it out and wanted to present it to you in person, but I told him he'd have to wait to meet you."  
  
Hermione's smile faltered, and she hoped it appeared to be because of her disappointment at having not met Draco. She eased the box open, and heard Evelyn gasp slightly from behind her. A golden ring sat on a bed of white silk, its surface shining with a large diamond. Surrounding the diamond were dots of sapphires. Hermione knew she should hate the ring because it was the symbol of a wedding she didn't want to happen. Nevertheless, its beauty drew her in, and she found herself thanking Mrs. Malfoy.  
  
The other guests started to arrive at noon, all smiling and wanting to congratulate the seemingly joyful bride. Hermione spent the rest of the wedding shower wearing a fixed smile and wondering what time it was. By the time every woman had left, Hermione was ready to collapse from relief.  
  
[A/N: Well, there's chapter two! If you want to make me glow and feel loved for the next few days, leave a review (even if its just one sentence- or a fragment, actually). Next chapter will include the wedding dress fitting. Have a good week and until next time, enjoy the anticipation!] 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
  
With five days until the wedding, Hermione was finding less and less time to read. She tried every night to stay awake long enough to read at least half of a book, but the exhaustion was getting to her. At her final wedding dress fitting, Hermione had been thinking desperately of other ways to prove that the wedding couldn't go through.  
  
She was standing in a fancy dressmakers shop in Diagon Alley, on a small raised platform surrounded by mirrors. The dressmaker was bringing out the final wedding dress, and saying to Evelyn, "All the alterations have been made. I dropped the neckline down like you asked, and the waist has been taken in."  
  
"Perfect," said Evelyn, helping Hermione into the gown. "You look wonderful, dear. I'm so happy for you," she added, wiping tears of happiness from her eyes.  
  
"Oh. Right," murmured Hermione, looking in the mirrors. She had to admit that the dress was beautiful, and if she had been marrying someone she loved, this would have been her dream wedding dress. Delicate lace edged the neckline and sleeves, and the waist tapered to a point. She smoothed the silk material over her stomach and sighed at her reflection.  
  
"Don't forget the veil," said the shop owner, bringing out a lacy piece of material. Evelyn smiled and placed it on top of her daughter's head, laying the lace over Hermione's long hair. The mirrors reflected the sharp contrast between the pure white veil and Hermione's dark auburn hair.  
  
"Now," said Evelyn to the shop owner, suddenly very businesslike, "What selection do you have for lingerie?"  
  
"Mother!" Hermione's voice came out louder and shriller than she had intended it to, and she turned her head quickly, making the veil slip off. Her embarrassment flared on her face, making her cheeks flush into the color of deep crimson.  
  
"Oh, dear, don't sound so surprised. After all, Draco will want you to look nice on the first night that you're married." Evelyn bent down and retrieved the veil from the floor, placing it on Hermione's hair again. Her fingers felt the silky fabric and smoothed it onto her daughter's forehead. Evelyn looked at her daughter with a gaze of such absolute happiness that Hermione had to turn away.  
  
Hermione didn't say anything, but tried to calm her breathing down. She had been so caught up in trying to find a way to end the engagement that she had stopped thinking about what would happen if the wedding actually went through.  
  
The dressmaker returned with several different styles and colors of honeymoon wear, which Evelyn made Hermione try on in a closed dressing room. Hermione couldn't believe it, but the possibility that she might actually have to put these on under her gown on her wedding day was growing larger. 'I'm worried about putting these on?' She thought, 'What about taking them off?'  
  
Once they (meaning Evelyn and the dressmaker) had determined that the pale purple and white lingerie would do perfectly, and Hermione and her mother had paid, they left the shop. The way home was quiet, verging on silence, and when they got to the mansion Hermione excused herself from lunch. Alexander and Evelyn exchanged knowing looks, but let her go.  
  
The entire afternoon for Hermione was spent in the Library, going through the last shelf of books. Each useless page that she turned caused Hermione to feel worse, as if a heavy weight was pressing down harder on her stomach with every futile book. When she had been searching for over four hours straight, her eyes began to grow fuzzy and she laid her head onto the table.  
  
Hermione was woken up a long while later by a hand shaking her shoulder softly. She lifted her head to find her father's face smiling down at her. "What time is it?"  
  
"It's past midnight," said Alex, his gaze flitting to the book that Hermione had lain her head onto.  
  
"Oh," said Hermione, trying to shift the books on the table so that he wouldn't be able to see what she had been reading up on. "I was just.. Going through some of my favorite books before the wedding.. Because I wouldn't have them with me once I'm married."  
  
"I see," he said, a note of amusement in his voice. "I didn't know that you enjoyed reading about old court cases and wizarding law."  
  
"Well," started Hermione, knowing that he knew what she was doing. She broke off her sentence once she realized this.  
  
"Hermione, it would have saved you a lot of trouble if you had just asked me if there was anything in our Library that told of when arranged marriages were against the law. I could have told you that there is nothing that can back up your argument. Arranged marriages have been tradition in magical society for centuries. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is," said Alexander with a sad look at his daughter. "We are your guardians until September, and that means you have to go through with the wedding."  
  
"But Father." Hermione's palms became clammy and her head seemed to spin as the realization settled in.  
  
"No buts. I promise it won't be as bad as you expect. The Malfoys are respectable people and Draco will be a good husband. Believe me, Hermione, I wouldn't give you away to just any handsome man who has a rich father."  
  
Hermione nodded her head in defeat, and laid her head in her arms. She heard Alexander leave the Library, and she sighed heavily. There was no possible way to get out of the wedding. She thought desperately of running away, but decided against that at once. She couldn't leave her parents- they were her family. Despite her father's promise that Draco was a good man, Hermione had a gut feeling that he was wrong. Hoping that her bad divination skills from school were still in effect and she was wrong, Hermione stood and left the Library.  
  
[A/N: Hey Hey! I want to thank all the great reviewers who spared two minutes to encourage me. You guys (and girls!) are awesome. A few of you had specific questions, especially concerning whether Hermione's birth parents were muggles or not. As much as it pains me to not answer a question coming from great reviewers, I can't say. Trust me though- you'll find out in later chapters.  
  
Setsuna Bu wanted to know whether Voldemort and the Death Eaters existed in my Alternate Universe setting. They aren't incredibly important to the plot, so I just kind of disregarded that whole aspect. The only thing you will find out about the Dark side is that Lucius Malfoy isn't a very nice man and he will have a rather large part towards the end. I'm never going to really come out and say that he's a Voldemort supporter or a Death Eater, but some things that he will do and say will give you enough information to judge what kind of person he is.  
  
I also want to apologize for the short length of my chapters. I try to make them all at least one thousand words. If you would really like me to make them longer, then you'll have to wait for longer intervals between chapters. Chapter four is about the wedding day and it includes Hermione's first impressions of Draco. If you've made it to them end of this Authors note, why not spend a few more minutes leaving me a comment or two in a review? (Hey that rhymes! Hehe)] 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
Hermione awoke on the morning of her wedding dreading the entire day. She dragged herself out of bed and pulled on a simple dress and a pair of sandals. She combed out her long red-brown hair and curled the ends. Evelyn had told her that there was no point dressing up until they were at Malfoy Mansion. Narcissa had already told Evelyn that a large room would be set up for them to get Hermione ready.  
  
When her parents greeted her at the bottom of the stairs, they both gave her hugs and went into the dining room for breakfast. Hermione felt that anything she ate was likely to come back up, so her plate went untouched. After her parents finished eating, they went upstairs and got dressed themselves, returning in their best clothes.  
  
Hermione took three deep breaths before apparating to Malfoy Manor, and when she had stopped spinning through space, she looked at the large mansion towering over her. The formidable stone walls seemed to go on and on, stretching around the grounds in every direction possible. The lawns were landscaped with gardens and fountains, in between which curved pebbled paths. The large front doors loomed ahead of Hermione and her parents, and when they approached it, a butler opened the door.  
  
The butler welcomed them into the high-ceilinged entrance hall and directed Alexander to the study where Lucius Malfoy was waiting. He then led Hermione and her mother up two wide stone staircases and along three gloomy hallways to a large pink room.  
  
Narcissa Malfoy was standing just inside the door, wearing a pale green gown and a lot of jewelry. When she noticed all the gold and diamonds Mrs. Malfoy was wearing, Hermione touched her hand to the ring she wore on her finger, just to make sure that she hadn't forgotten it. Mrs. Malfoy greeted them politely, and then showed Hermione to the large bathroom.  
  
Hermione took a bath in a bathtub that looked more like a pool, using the expensive lotions and soaps that she found next to the stack of towels. When she stepped out of the water and into a bathrobe, she felt as if a few of her worries had been washed away.  
  
However, all them returned when she reentered the pink room to see her wedding gown and veil waiting for her. Her mother charmed her hair to perfection, and then Hermione was helped into her dress. After a few minutes of makeup application, she lifted her veil and looked in the mirror.  
  
Seeing her reflection made Hermione's heart sink, but the two mothers were looking at her expectantly so she said quietly, "I suppose it's time."  
  
They nodded and all three of them walked out of the room.  
  
When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Hermione saw that the Malfoys' largest hall had been decorated and set for a large wedding. People were being seated in long rows of gold and white upholstered chairs, and flowers seemed to be everywhere. Before she could really look into the room where she was about to be married, her soon-to-be mother-in-law ushered her into a room just off of the entrance hall.  
  
Once inside the fancy parlor, Narcissa gave Hermione some encouraging compliments on how gorgeous she looked, and then left Evelyn and Hermione alone. Hermione sank into a plush couch and tried to avoid her mother's eyes. However, Evelyn took Hermione's hand and smiled in a sad way at her.  
  
"Hermione, I know you think that this is the worst thing in the world. I know, I remember feeling exactly like this before my wedding. Don't feel like this, dear. Soon you'll discover that Draco is a lovely man who'll be everything you ever wanted in life. I promise you, Hermione. We would not have given you to a man who you won't love. Trust me. You look beautiful and someday soon you will look back at your fear and laugh." Evelyn's eyes were bright with unshed tears, and when she stood up she smoothed her hair. "I'm so happy for you, Hermione. You'll have a life that others only dream of. Someday you'll come to your senses and love your husband as much as he loves you." She kissed her daughter on the cheek as they heard a soft knock on the door.  
  
Alexander came through the large doors and smiled at his family. He kissed Evelyn on the cheek and she left the room to go to her seat. Alexander gave his daughter a reassuring smile and offered her his arm, which she slowly took in her hand.  
  
He led her out of the room and to the doors of the Wedding Hall, where hundreds of heads were turned in their direction. He patted her hand softly and said quietly, "We love you, Hermione."  
  
With that they started to walk down the carpeted aisle, stepping on perfumed rose petals and passing the silent guests. Hermione searched the crowd for a familiar face, but it seemed as if everyone at her wedding was a stranger. Her feet moved mechanically, as if she were a robot and had no control over what she was doing.  
  
The nearer they moved to the end of the aisle, the more the urge to run was creeping into her. When it crept below her eyes and made them dart about desperately, her feet slowed to a stop. She felt Alexander's arm tense in her hand, and heard his soft voice telling her to keep moving. "Be brave," he whispered, giving her a small smile as if he knew what was happening inside her.  
  
Hermione tried hard to fight the hazy feeling in her mind, but her brain was foggy and she barely knew what was happening. With a small tug on her arm from her father, Hermione's feet began to move again and she approached the end of the walk in a daze. When her father had stopped beside her, her feet halted once more and she turned to look at Alexander.  
  
Her father lifted her veil and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. He stepped away and nodded his head at her, as if to say, You'll be fine. Then he left her, going to sit with Evelyn in the front row.  
  
Hermione tried to keep her eyes on the smooth marble floor, but something pulled them up, making her gaze collide with the man standing in front of her. He was young, perhaps only a few years older than her, but he seemed to emanate power and elegance. The way his sleek dress robes fitted him, the way his white-blond hair swept onto his forehead almost casually, and his commanding presence, instantly made Hermione's mind dart to the name Malfoy. Without being told, she knew for certain that this was her fiancée.  
  
'Why couldn't he be ugly?' thought Hermione as her eyes rose to his face. 'I could hate him much more if he weren't so handsome.' His pale skin looked creamy and smooth, and a small smirk curved his lips. His silvery eyes traveled over Hermione's body, his gaze lingering on the curves beneath her gown. The path his stare left made Hermione feel as if he could see through her wedding dress, and she shifted uncomfortably.  
  
As if the world was moving in slow motion, Hermione saw Draco reach his hand out and lead her to the end of the aisle, where a man in glossy robes was waiting for them. Her knees started to shake, but she clamped them together and tried to listen to what the official was saying.  
  
[Author's Note: So how was that? Good, I hope. This'll be a pretty short note, just asking you to review and come back for the next chapter. Chapter five is set at the reception, where Hermione and Draco dance and you find out which version of the vows they used. Oooh. Suspense! He he he. Until next time, CC.] 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five  
  
Hermione's daze lifted about an hour later, when the guests had left the Wedding Hall and gone into the ballroom where the reception was to be held. She was hugged and congratulated by countless strangers, and tried to respond happily.  
  
But she couldn't be genuinely happy. Hermione had just married a man she had never really met, and knew nothing about. All she had been told about him was that his family was incredibly successful; he was loaded with money; he was accomplished in academics, dueling, quidditch, and his career. Other than that, he was just a name and a handsome face.  
  
Now, standing in the large hall where tables and a dance floor had been set up, Hermione felt the feeling come back into her legs. What hit her was an overwhelming sense of reality. She was married to the man whose arm she was clutching, had been magically bonded to him, and would never be able to make her own decisions.  
  
The only thing she had absorbed while she had been saying her wedding vows- she had felt as if someone else were saying the words through her- was that the vows were the older version. Now that she was magically connected to Draco, and they had both accepted the vows, she had to do everything he said and couldn't leave him of her own free will.  
  
The fact that she was ready to run when she had only been married to him for under an hour made her think of how dismal her future would be under Draco Malfoy. He had barely said ten words to her, but she could already feel his commands. The way he steered her out of the hall and into the reception showed absolute control and power. Hermione knew that he was already aware of his authoritative presence around her, and she had a feeling he was finding enjoyment in being able to control her.  
  
Hermione had just sank into a plush dinner chair when Evelyn came over. Hermione's mother was wearing an ecstatic expression, so Hermione pasted on a small smile and pretended to be anything but depressed. Evelyn gave her a quick hug and congratulations, and Hermione asked her to sit down in the chair next to hers. Evelyn gave her daughter an amused look before asking, "Shouldn't you be leading the dancing? The bride and groom traditionally have the first dance."  
  
Hermione watched her reflection go pale in one of the shined plates. She felt fingertips graze the back of her neck, and turned her head to see Draco standing above her. His eyes were icy gray, but appeared to be burning at the same time. He helped her to her feet and whispered in her ear. "May I have this dance?"  
  
The way he said it made two different feelings crash inside of her. Her romantic side was tempted to melt into his arms at the way his voice seemed to curl around her ear, sounding to smooth and sensual. Another side of her recognized his question not as a request but as an order, one that she had to obey. Before she could answer he led her into the center of the dance floor. His fingers were holding her hand gently, and she became very aware of the gold ring on her finger.  
  
During the ceremony her engagement ring had been taken off and her wedding band had been put onto her finger. The wedding ring was a thin band of gold, with five exquisitely cut diamonds set into the gold. The simplicity of the design was beautiful, and Hermione loved it instantly, even though she hated what it represented.  
  
His right hand held hers softly, pulling her against his broad chest, while his other hand slipped down to rest at the small of her back. The music started and they slowly moved from side to side, their bodies pressed against each other so comfortably that for a moment Hermione forgot why she hated him.  
  
She felt that if she looked in Draco's eyes, she would collapse completely, so she settled her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes, blocking out the hundreds of unknown faces watching them. Their feet carried them around the dance floor, and when the song started to end, Hermione tried to pull away. However, she found his hand still resting on her back, keeping her where she was. She tried to wriggle away, but couldn't escape his arms, which felt so strong around her that she had doubts about whether she really wanted to get away.  
  
When Hermione had finally become still again, the song ended. Draco made no move to step away, and for a second Hermione got the sense that he wanted her to look him in the eyes. Hermione's head turned almost without her thinking, and his face was just a few inches away from hers. Although her eyes had at first come into contact with his silvery ones, she dropped her gaze to his lips, which were parted slightly.  
  
Because the magical ceremony hadn't involved any physical contact, they had yet to kiss. Hermione had been dreading the inevitable kiss, because she knew that she would like it, and she didn't want to accept the fact that she was physically attracted to him.  
  
As if she knew what he was thinking, Hermione knew that Draco wanted to kiss her, but felt the need to maintain his coolly executed control. He instead dropped his hand from her back and offered her his arm, which he used to steer her off the dance floor. The Malfoys and the Coltones, who all wanted to talk to Hermione and Draco, greeted them at the edge of the dance floor.  
  
She found herself being enveloped in a quick embrace by Narcissa Malfoy, who told her she looked lovely and that the ceremony had been beautiful (almost as if Mrs. Malfoy hadn't helped to both get Hermione ready and to plan the ceremony). Then, Mrs. Malfoy introduced Hermione to Lucius Malfoy. Draco had inherited both the white-blond hair and gray eyes from his father, but Hermione noted that Lucius's eyes were much colder than Draco's. He kissed her hand, which made Hermione feel uncomfortable as his icy eyes bored into her, as if he were trying to read her thoughts. Relief swept over her when Lucius said he had to excuse himself and walked briskly away.  
  
Hermione spent the rest of the evening alternately being forced to dance with Draco and drinking champagne in futile attempts to get herself drunk. (Draco stopped her, giving her a look that clearly said, 'You'll want to be awake for the rest of the evening.')  
  
When Draco and Hermione left the still going party to apparate to where they would spend their honeymoon, it was well past midnight and Hermione was starting to feel worn out. Through conversations she had heard, Hermione had discovered that Draco and her would be living at the Malfoys' summer home in Italy until they had bought an estate for themselves. It came as a large shock to find out that no one had previously bothered to let her in on this little detail.  
  
Draco effortlessly pulled her body against his as they left Malfoy Manor. When both her head and her body had stopped whirling through nothingness, Hermione found herself facing a large white mansion. Since it was dark outside, Hermione couldn't tell what the area looked like, but she could hear waves crashing in the distance.  
  
Draco unlocked the large front door and led Hermione into a richly furnished hall. He took her hand and helped her climb the stairs. With every step they took, Hermione's stomach dropped a notch further.  
  
[A/N: Sorry about how I tend to drag out the chapters, but I just couldn't resist a cliffhanger.. So make sure to come back for chapter six and read about the first night they're married. Ooh La La. So review and tell me what you think! Tah Tah, CC.] 


	6. Chapter 6

[A/N:Because you all asked so nicely, I've decided to hold off being evil and give you the honeymoon chapter ahead of schedule. Muah!]  
  
Chapter Six  
  
At the end of a hallway above the stairs was a set of large double doors. Before he turned the doorknob, Draco looked over his shoulder at Hermione and smirked at her obvious fear. Then he turned the knob and pushed open the heavy door in one effortless movement.  
  
The room they entered seemed to be the entryway to a suite. It had a series of doors around the walls, and Hermione was sure that this was the apartment that Draco used when he was vacationing here. The rooms were decorated stylishly, but had a unique and semi-personalized quality to them. The first room had several couches and chairs, all with deep green upholstery. Portraits of blonde-haired men in quidditch robes were hung on the walls, and Hermione noticed a resemblance between Draco and the men in the paintings. Several of them were wearing the Malfoy Smirk, so Hermione decided that these were his ancestors.  
  
Draco squeezed her hand before he dropped it. He walked towards a door to their left and opened it. Behind him Hermione saw a large marble bathroom and dressing room. Draco started to go in, but turned and said, "Wait here. I'll be right back." His eyes darted downward over her figure before he closed the door after him.  
  
Hermione stood next to a couch, wondering if she should sit down. She had tried to sit down during the reception, but her gown's skirt was so voluminous that she had decided that it was made for dancing, not for sitting. So she stood there, both wanting Draco to come back- the portraits on the walls were looking at her strangely- and hoping he never returned. She knew that when he came back she would have to do anything he said, and that was what she had been dreading.  
  
It wasn't that Hermione was scared of having sex, but she had always imagined that it would be with someone she loved and cared about; someone she at least knew. She wasn't sure what would happen when she disobeyed what he told her to do, but the thought of going against ancient forms of magic, which she had read about, didn't appeal to her.  
  
She stood apprehensively on the thick carpet until the bathroom door opened and Draco stepped into the room. He had changed from his formal robes into a black silk dressing robe, which was tied around his waist with a sash. It stood out in sharp contrast to his pale skin and hair.  
  
Draco walked over to her and looked down at her again, his eyes following the edge of her wedding dress. He leaned in and kissed her, nipping at her lower lip and grabbing it gently between his teeth. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed and she felt him smirk against her mouth. He pulled back slightly and looked at her, his stormy gray eyes boring into her brown ones.  
  
"Take off your dress," he said, moving away from her to a table on the opposite side of the room. She watched him take out a crystal glass from a cabinet and then set it down on the table. He was reaching for a carved matching bottle when Hermione suddenly became nauseous. Her head felt like it was spinning, and she felt like the champagne from the reception was about to come back up.  
  
Before she became sick, she gasped out, "Draco, I'm. I'm."  
  
Draco turned around, and saw her bent over; one hand pressing on her forehead while another was clutching her stomach. He rolled his eyes slightly and said, "Hermione, didn't you know that this is what happens when you deny the magical bonds? You're not doing what I say." He looked at her as she raised her head and looked at him in desperation. "Fine, but this is the only time that I'm going to do this. Don't take off your wedding dress yet."  
  
As soon as he said that, Hermione's head returned to normal and she managed to stand up again. She watched as Draco poured an amber colored liquid into the glass and took a sip. He continued to drink while his eyes bored along her body, making Hermione shift uncomfortably. Finally, when the last sip was gone, he put the glass on the table again and stepped towards her.  
  
Hermione resisted the temptation to take a step back, and stood where she was on the carpet. When Draco was standing very close to her, he brushed his fingertips against the side of her cheek. Hermione could feel his warm breath washing over her skin and she shivered.  
  
Draco took Hermione's hand and walked her to another door on the right wall. He opened it and led her into a large bedroom done in greens and grays. Candles burned along the walls and a fire blazed in the large fireplace. The bed had thick silver and black hangings, and the emerald green silk bedspread almost glowed in the light.  
  
Hermione followed Draco to the bed, where he sat down on the edge, pulling her to stand in front of him. His lips curled in a small smile and he said, "Let's try this again, shall we? Take off your dress."  
  
Hermione ignored the shaking of her hands and went to work on the small buttons and clasps that traveled down the side of her gown. As the material fell away from her body, Hermione could feel Draco looking at her, his eyes following her curves and imagining her most secret parts. In one smooth movement, Draco had removed her bra and pulled her to sit on his lap. As his lips kissed the skin under her ear, Hermione was wishing that she was anywhere but where she was. She wished that his lips weren't so soft and alluring. She wished that he wasn't so gentle and considerate. That her breasts didn't fit so perfectly in his hands. That his long fingers didn't know just where and how to touch her. She wished that she could stop wishing and just enjoy what was happening; because as much as she tried to ignore it, Hermione was feeling things she had never felt before- things she had to admit to herself that she liked.  
  
Draco rolled her onto the bed and in a matter of seconds all of his clothes were off and he was pulling off her panties. When Hermione looked into his eyes and saw his silvery ones staring at her, she shut them tight, blocking out the look he was giving her. She turned her head to the side and felt him push in. She had expected a lot of pain, because she had built up a vision of him hurting her as much as possible.  
  
Soon the hurt melted away and Hermione found herself moving in Draco's rhythm, spiraling into sensations she never imagined.  
  
[Author's Note: Well there it is. The honeymoon night. I tried not to get too detailed or anything, because I wanted to respect the R rating. Whether you liked it or not, that's what I came up with. I want to thank all the great people who have left me comments and spent their time making me feel good about what I'm writing. In response to the people who want me to update with closer intervals, I have to say that I will try, but not to expect any promises. This story will have twelve chapters in it, and there might be a sequel if enough people ask for it. So congratulations! You've made it through half the story! Chapter seven is about the next morning and also features a shopping trip.] 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven  
  
Hermione awoke the next morning in a disoriented daze. Her eyes fluttered open to take in the deep greens in the room, and then she realized she was lying on a bed. A movement against her back made the memories of the night before come spilling back to her. Her skin grew hot as she felt Draco's body curved along her back. She kept perfectly still, hoping that he might move away from her in his sleep. After several minutes of waiting, it became apparent that Hermione would have no such luck, and decided to take her chances with getting out of the bed.  
  
She tried to gently pull away from him, but found that he was an observant sleeper. As soon as she shifted next to him, his right hand, which had been resting on her side, slipped to her stomach and pulled her tighter against him. Hermione, getting frustrated, tried again to get out of the bed, but only succeeded in rubbing against him in ways that made her skin heat even more. She let out a moan of aggravation, and tried to pull against Draco again. She felt his arm tighten around her again, and, growing suspicious, Hermione turned her head to look at his face on the pillow next to hers.  
  
Draco was smiling, but his eyes were closed, feigning sleep. Feeling her cheeks get hot, Hermione put her face down on the pillow again. After a moment of her lying still in Draco's arms, she felt him move beside her again. His limbs disentangled themselves from hers, and she felt him sit up next to her. She shut her eyes and pretended to be sleeping. This didn't work, and she jumped considerably when she felt Draco placing a wet kiss on her neck.  
  
While holding the silken sheets over her chest, Hermione turned around to yell angrily at him but found that he was laughing. She stared at him angrily until he stopped. Draco rolled his eyes at her irritation and said, "Well good morning to you, too, darling." She watched as he reached towards the end of the bed and pulled on the black robe he had worn the night before. "I'll have some breakfast sent up from the kitchens," he said as he walked over to the door.  
  
"Where is the bathroom?"  
  
He turned to look at her, and then pointed out a door to his left. She waited until he had left before going into the bathroom, where she took a hot bath. Once she had gotten out of the bath and had dried herself with a fluffy white towel, she could hear Draco in the room next to the bathroom. Hermione looked at the two apparent options; she could just wrap herself in a towel and then put some clothes on when she got back to the bedroom, or she could put on one of Draco's black bathrobes.  
  
She heard him call to her from beyond the bathroom door, telling her that breakfast had been brought. She quickly shrugged on the silk bathrobe, which she had to tie very tightly for it to not reveal large sections of her chest. The sleeves were too long, so she rolled them up as she walked back into the bedroom.  
  
When Hermione joined Draco in a parlor off of the bedroom, she could feel his gaze on the bathrobe she was wearing. She became very aware of the way his lips were curved into something that was half smirk, half genuine smile.  
  
Over pancakes topped with strawberries, Draco and Hermione had their first real conversation. It was awkward at first, but then Hermione asked what they would do that day, and Draco told her that they would walk around a nearby Italian city. He asked her, "Do you like shopping?"  
  
Hermione smiled for real for the first time since before the wedding, and said, "Of course! What are we shopping for?"  
  
"Well, your things were sent over, and I think you could use some new clothes."  
  
"What's wrong with my clothes?" Hermione's eyes narrowed and the smile left her lips.  
  
Draco smiled at her easily aroused temper. He leaned back onto the chair and said casually, "Nothing, really. If you like the librarian look." He laughed at the way Hermione's face got a splotchy red color. "I suppose they'll do for when you're at home, but when we have to go to parties and events, you're gong to have to wear fancy dresses and designer clothing."  
  
"Fine," said Hermione quickly, feeling her anger sliding away. However, when she tried to find a suitable outfit for going shopping with Draco, she discovered that his observations on her wardrobe were pretty accurate. She finally settled on a knee-length gray skirt and a creamy silk blouse.  
  
When they apparated into the city's shopping district, Hermione instantly fell in love with the old buildings and leafy trees lining the twisting streets. Draco smiled at her obvious delight, and led her from one shop to another. They bought dresses, shoes, purses, and other odds and ends that Draco insisted on getting. Although she hated to admit it, she was having fun with him. He smiled at her enthusiasm and helped her to decide which articles of clothing to get.  
  
On their way back to the alley where they would dissapparate, Hermione suddenly stopped, gazing longingly at a store across the road. She pulled Draco behind her, and only slowed down when she had stepped into the shop. Polished wooden shelves lined the walls, with books of every color and size stacked in piles and rows. She traced her fingertips over the spine of a leather-bound book. Its title was in Italian, and she wished she knew what it said.  
  
She browsed the bookshop for almost an hour before Draco interrupted her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and realized that he was waiting for her. There was laughter dancing in his sharp gray eyes as he asked her, "Ready to go yet?"  
  
Hermione blushed but pulled several books off the shelves to buy. Three of them were about how to learn to speak Italian-something she had decided would be a new hobby. "Can I just buy these?"  
  
"Sure. We'll have to make a trip back here once we buy a house," said Draco. Hermione knew without saying that by 'house' he meant an estate. "When we have to fill our library, maybe your librarian fashion sense will help out."  
  
Hermione ignored his teasing and quickly asked, "We're going to have a library?"  
  
Draco looked at her like she was crazy. "Of course we have to have a library in our home. It might take a while to fill it with books, but it should be fun."  
  
Hermione wore a grin for the rest of their trip, thinking of buying hundreds of books for her own library. As they left the bookstore, Draco started telling her of several estates that they would be looking at over the next week. As he described the manors and grounds, Hermione didn't find it very difficult to imagine living with Draco in one of the estates for the rest of their lives.  
  
[Authors Note: Sorry about not getting this chapter out to you yesterday like I planned, but my weekend turned out to be a lot busier than expected. I hope you enjoyed chapter seven, and chapter eight will be out most likely on Friday. If I get a great response like last time though, I might be forced to give in and post a chapter early. Next chapter has a dinner with Draco's parents that gets a little argumentative. Before I go I want to send a shout-out to Shining Star, who was really nice and told me my story had "class"! That made me so happy because I was worried about how much smut to put into the last chapter, but decided that this fic isn't about smut. I'm not saying that there won't be a bit of steaminess, but I'm going to actually stick to the R rating for now.] 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight  
  
Over the next two weeks Hermione was occupied with furnishing their new house, which they had moved into a week and a half after their wedding. They bought a mansion that was located near a large clear lake and was surrounded by gardens. Hermione had not wanted a large estate, and had been surprised when Draco hadn't insisted that they buy something bigger. The mansion itself was white, with deep blue shutters and high roof. A terrace ran along the back of the house and overlooked the lake.  
  
Hermione had hired several decorators to adorn the rooms, and they had been given specific instructions on what she wanted. The library, however, was left untouched by interior decorators, because Hermione wanted to furnish that herself. She ordered classics from large bookstores in London, and took weekend trips to small towns in order to find rare and valuable books. Many of these small trips she took on her own, because Draco was working during the days and sometimes into the nights. His job at the Ministry entailed quite a lot of traveling, but he had found ways to make the trips generally shorter.  
  
The books that Hermione and Draco had bought in the Italian bookshop on learning to speak Italian were kept on the back porch. After Draco got home from work at the Ministry, they would sit outside and learn verbs and phrases, laughing at each other's terrible accents. Their new hobby gave them time to get to know one another, and soon Hermione felt her original feelings of hostility drain away. In their absence, other feelings started to form, starting with friendship and then moving quickly to something that Hermione tried to ignore.  
  
Draco, despite having a definite arrogant quality about him that aggravated Hermione often, turned out to be less terrible than she had expected. He laughed easily (though it was mostly at her), and had a sense of humor like no other she had ever encountered. He could find a tiny grain of amusement in almost every situation, and made witty comments that sometimes only Hermione could appreciate. She frequently felt like he was listening to more than just what she was saying, as if he could tell what she meant no matter how she put things into words. At first it was a little disconcerting to realize how he seemed to understand her so perfectly, but it soon became something that she appreciated. During her school years Hermione had often felt like no one saw things the way she did; they never could comprehend her perfectionism or need to be successful, and now that there was someone who could understand that, Hermione found herself gladly welcoming his company.  
  
Every Sunday Hermione and Draco had dinner with his parents at Malfoy Manor. It was something Hermione never looked forward to, because it meant awkward silences and worries over what to say. For most of the evening Lucius and Draco would talk about business at the Ministry of magic, with Narcissa Malfoy making neutral comments on whatever the topic was. While the conversation went on and on about Ministry officials and new regulations, Hermione would sit at the table and pretend to be interested. She would nod once or twice when Draco said something clever, or smile back at him when he would give her one.  
  
On one night with particularly tedious conversations between Draco and his father, the talk turned to a new proposal that was being reviewed by the Ministry heads. The proposal, which had been drafted by a man named Arthur Weasley, outlined new procedures for restoring muggle objects. From the tone of disgust in Lucius Malfoy's voice and the colder-than-normal glint in his frozen eyes, Hermione could tell that Lucius didn't think much of Arthur Weasley. She was proved right when he said, "Weasley has been an embarrassment to the ministry ever since he was promoted head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department. Of course, they had to give the job to him because no one else would disgrace themselves by taking it."  
  
Hermione thought that was a little uncalled for, but since she didn't know Arthur Weasley and had very little familiarity with the Ministry, she kept her opinions to herself. Draco looked thoughtful, however, and said quietly, "But you do have to respect him for putting forward his proposal against so much opposition."  
  
Hermione smiled at him, relieved that she wasn't the only one to have a different view, and he sent a small wink in her direction. Lucius Malfoy, however, his pale cheeks tinged with red, said to his son, "How can you say that, Draco? Weasley is a name synonymous with dishonor and mediocrity."  
  
"Don't you think that's a bit harsh, Lucius," interjected Narcissa calmly.  
  
Lucius shot his wife an icy stare and said evenly, "Any man who lowers himself to the status of muggles deserves to be ridiculed."  
  
Hermione kept her eyes on her plate, moving the food around on its surface and pretending to be eating. There was a long silence, in which everyone finished eating. The scrape of silverware on china was the only sound that was made until Draco and Hermione left that evening. She noticed that Lucius looked at his son with a mix of resentment and disbelief as they left.  
  
As Draco and Hermione got ready for bed that night, Draco brought up the subject of the dinner conversation. He said, "I'm sorry that you had to sit through that, Hermione. My father has always been very narrow-minded and he tends to look down on anyone who doesn't hold opinions that are the same as his."  
  
"That's okay, Draco. It was just a little awkward," said Hermione as she slipped a silk nightgown over her head and walked over to their bed.  
  
Draco slipped under the covers and pulled his wife next to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Goodnight," said Hermione, laying her head on the pillow next to her.  
  
"Mmm." Hermione felt Draco's hand leave her stomach and travel downwards until it reached the hem of her nightgown. He inched the sleek material upwards until it was bunched around her waist.  
  
"Draco," she murmured, turning her head to the side and kissing him deeply. She felt the mattress shift under her as he leaned over her, molding his body to hers.  
  
Just before she fell asleep that night, Hermione wondered when it was that having sex changed in her mind to making love. She snuggled her body to Draco's, feeling his skin brush against hers all over. He reached his hand up and brushed a lock of her hair off her forehead. Pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, he said into her ear in an almost inaudible whisper, "I love you." Hermione drifted off to sleep with a smile curved on her kiss- swollen lips.  
  
[A/N: I'll be on vacation until next Saturday, so the chapter nine update will have to wait until then. Chapter nine deals with Draco and Hermione talking about things, and Hermione confessing that she was adopted to Draco. What will he say to that? I wonder. (Well, actually I don't have to wonder, as I know already. Hehehe)] 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine  
  
One weekend morning about a month after the wedding, Draco and Hermione were seated on their back porch. Italian books lay between them, still open to the section on expressions of family. Draco had decided that it was time for a break, and had gone and gotten them a large pitcher of fresh lemonade and two glasses. They sat in silence, sipping the sweetly sour liquid. Hermione was gazing absently at the page in a book that translated different expressions for relatives. She soon grew tired of her own thoughts and asked her husband, "Draco, what was your childhood like?"  
  
When she got no response, she added, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was just curious." She glanced at his face, which wore a complicated expression. His eyebrows were knit together, and his normally sparking gray eyes were downcast. Hermione instantly regretted her inquiry, and added, "It probably wasn't my place to ask you that anyway. Sorry."  
  
However, Draco looked up and said, "Since when does a wife not have the right to ask her husband a personal question? I should have brought it up before, anyway."  
  
Hermione was quiet as Draco said this, and tried to refrain herself from asking again. Soon he said, "In my opinion, my childhood wasn't very happy, but since I didn't really have anything to compare it to, I didn't know if I had a reason to be miserable or not."  
  
He looked up and saw Hermione's understanding expression, and shook his head slightly before continuing. "It really wasn't as bad as it sounds. I'm sure that I just remember it worse than it actually was. I was just a lonely little boy who decided that his loneliness was a reason to hate everyone. It's kind of ironic, but the only people I didn't really hate back then were my parents, and they were the ones who left me alone so often."  
  
"That must have been awful for you," said Hermione quietly. "I can't imagine being alone like that." She tilted her head to the side, remembering when she was little. "The only bad memory I have is from when I was eight and my parents.. Well, I'm sure you don't want to hear about my perfectly contented childhood after you've just opened up like that."  
  
"No," said Draco. "Tell me. I want to know."  
  
Hermione tried to ignore the fact that Draco was oblivious that he had just given her a command. He did this often, requesting something but not realizing that it was an order. Sometimes he would catch on and rephrase his comment, or otherwise look at her playfully as if he wanted to see if she would do it or get mad at him. Hermione had grown used to his infrequent and usually accidental commands, but still hated the fact that he, in a way, controlled her. His order to tell her about her worst memory didn't bother her, because she would have told him anyway.  
  
"I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I was adopted as a baby," started Hermione. She waited for shock to appear on Draco's face, but instead he just listened attentively and seemed unaffected by this statement. "When I turned eight they decided to tell me about it, and I took it the wrong way. They were trying to get the truth out into the open, but I decided that if they weren't my real parents that they didn't love me as much as they should. Afterwards I felt bad about how I reacted, because they were hurt by the way I assumed that they couldn't love me as much as biological parents."  
  
Draco looked thoughtful, and then said, "Did you ever find out who your birth parents were?"  
  
"No, but I think about it a lot. I wish I could just let it go, but sometimes it seems like I don't have a concrete past. Like.. I have this hole that I'll never be able to fill in. Did you understand that, or was I rambling?"  
  
"No, I get it." Draco was quiet for a few minutes, and then he said softly, "If there was a way to find out who they were, would you do it?"  
  
Hermione looked at him, surprised and a bit confused. "I suppose I would, even though it's a pretty big chance. I mean, what if they turned out to be terrible people? It would fill in the hole, but it might make things worse." She paused and seemed to remember what he had said in a different light. "Is there a way?"  
  
"The might be. My father has a friend who works for the Ministry as an investigator. He researches people's pasts and can find out almost anything."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. Do you want me to owl him?"  
  
Hermione sat still for a minute, her eyebrows furrowed as she made a decision. In an abrupt movement, her head snapped up and she said, "Yes. I want to know."  
  
Draco gave her a smile and said, "Okay, I'll go contact him." He disappeared into the house, and Hermione was left alone on the porch.  
  
Her mind was whirling, skipping from one thought to the next as if she were spinning around and around, getting dizzy and falling wherever she landed. First she was a bit shocked, not really realizing the enormity of the decision she had just made. She would finally know who she was. Who she originally was, anyway. After getting over the initial astonishment, she began to feel uncertain. What if this was a terrible mistake? What if she found out things she didn't want to know? What if- her stomach dropped unpleasantly- her birth parents really weren't dead, and just hadn't wanted her?  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard Draco calling her from inside. Hermione rose from her seat and went in the house, walking through the hallways but not actually seeing them. Her thoughts had returned to the conversation on the porch, and her mind was mulling over whether she had made the right decision or not.  
  
She found Draco in their bedroom, dressing in formal robes. She stopped to watch him try to fasten the buttons on the sleeves of his shirt for a moment, laughing to herself. After seeing him fail to button his sleeves one-handed, she left the threshold and walked in to help him. He smiled at her slightly as she pushed the delicate silver buttons through their loops. His smile turned to a frown when he realized she was laughing at how helpless he was when it came to doing it himself. He started to get frustrated at the way she gave him teasing looks and then slowed down and pretended to be instructing him on how to button a shirt. He snapped out, "Oh, like what you'll be wearing is less complicated. You always make me zipper your dress, which is about the same thing."  
  
Confused, she asked, "What?"  
  
"We should be dressing for Dinner, remember? Today's Sunday and we're going to Dinner at Malfoy Manor." Draco looked at her oddly, as if she should have remembered this. He looped an expensive leather belt through the loops on his pants and added, "You didn't forget, did you?"  
  
"Weren't we just there a week ago?" At the whining tone in Hermione's voice, Draco smiled and shook his head slightly at her pouting expression.  
  
"Yes. Seems like yesterday, though, doesn't it?"  
  
"Mmmhm," said Hermione as she opened her closet, scanning her wardrobe. She settled on a plain dress, pale yellow with a matching jacket.  
  
When they were dressed, Draco pulled her to him and gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead. As he released her, he said, "You don't need to worry about it, darling. You can just think about how you'll be filling a hole in your past in a matter of days."  
  
"You sent the owl, then?"  
  
"Yes, about ten minutes ago," replied Draco as they left the manor.  
  
"Good," said Hermione, though her stomach dropped. She tried to brush away the feeling that this had not been the right decision, but it latched on to her and wouldn't leave. Looking for a way to distract herself from the doubts, she said offhandedly to Draco, "Let's just hope it's more pleasant than last time."  
  
[Quick A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! And especially to those of you who wished me a happy vacation! It was great but now I'm back to keep the story going. There are only 2 more chapters after this, and then the story's done! Next chapter is what comes right after this one- Hermione and Draco's dinner with the Malfoys, which doesn't go any better than the previous week.] 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten  
  
When Draco and Hermione arrived at the Malfoy Manor about an hour later- they had decided to take a car instead of apparating- they were greeted at the door by Narcissa Malfoy. She had a house elf take their coats, and then led them into the estate's formal dining room. Hermione looked over her shoulder at the small creature, barely balancing under the large coats. Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for the house elf, who would most likely be enslaved for his or her entire life. As they took their seats at the table, Draco asked his mother, "Where's father?"  
  
"Lucius got an owl a little while ago and will join us in a few minutes," replied Narcissa. "We'll wait to eat until he comes in."  
  
The next few minutes passed pleasantly, with Narcissa asking casual questions about their life and Draco's job. Hermione had grown to like Draco's mother, who she found to be enjoyable to talk to and not the least bit arrogant. Narcissa had just asked them about a business trip that Draco was going on to Greece, when Lucius Malfoy walked swiftly into the room.  
  
Mr. Malfoy was wearing his usual luxuriously styled black robes, and had the same refined grace about him that was always there. However, tonight there was a different look in his frozen gray eyes. It looked as if he were trying hard to maintain his cool; something that Hermione had never thought took much effort. She thought that all the Malfoys had something in their DNA that made them calm and collected in all situations. The way his lips were pursed thinly, as if he were holding in an outburst of nasty language, made Hermione nervous.  
  
Lucius swept to his place at the dining table and sat down smoothly into the high-backed chair. He surveyed the steaming food before him with contemptuous eyes, before picking the silverware and starting to eat. He made no effort to start a conversation over dinner, so the other three ate in silence also.  
  
Hermione looked down as she ate, feeling immensely uncomfortable, and not knowing what had caused the room's change of mood. She hoped Lucius wasn't angry about the discussion from the last time she and Draco had been at Malfoy manor. But as that had just been a small disagreement, she found it hard to believe that he would still be a holding a grudge after a week. If that wasn't the reason, what was it? Hermione thought hard, trying to remember if Draco had mentioned anything about having a fight with his father. He hadn't.  
  
After they had all finished eating, Hermione and Draco waited for Lucius to say something. After meals he usually asked them to go with him and Narcissa to the study, where they had drinks and talked. However, this time no drink or conversation invitation came. Lucius, who had been previously looking at a tapestry hanging along one of the dining room's walls, now shifted his gaze to Draco. The long awaited conversation started slowly, with Lucius asking his son about their trip to Greece. "When do you leave?"  
  
"We leave in a week, father," said Draco, who seemed to be relieved that the stony silence had been broken.  
  
Lucius inclined his head slowly, and Hermione could tell he was thinking hard, though not about their trip to Greece. Draco looked at Hermione, shrugged slightly when his father wasn't looking and gave her a confused look. Hermione returned a small smile to him, but she was also confused. Lucius Malfoy was not the type of man to hold his opinions back, which was what he was obviously doing.  
  
Draco seemed to decide that any sort of small talk would be preferable to the quietly cold atmosphere surrounding them. "Mother told me you received an owl a short while ago," he said conversationally.  
  
"Yes," said Lucius, raising his head and looking directly into Draco's eyes with something bordering on dislike and disbelief. Hermione had the impression that Lucius was challenging his son to ask him about it. "I did."  
  
"Was it from the Ministry?" Draco seemed unruffled by the intense glare his father had fixed on him. Hermione thought that if Lucius had been looking at her like that, she would have the strong temptation to crawl under the table.  
  
"It was from an old friend," said Lucius icily. "But yes, he does work at the Ministry."  
  
Draco looked as if he had made up his mind that any further questions would be intruding his father's privacy. When he remained quiet for over a minute, Lucius's gaze flickered quickly from Draco to Hermione. The icy gray eyes of Mr. Malfoy, both so alike and so different from Draco's, connected to Hermione's eyes for a split second. When they darted away again, Hermione was left with the impression that Lucius's look had held a deep amount of hatred. But because the glare had been so quick, she pushed away that thought and sat silently, looking down once more.  
  
Servants cleared the fancy golden plates and champagne flutes from the tables, which distracted Hermione momentarily from the look Lucius had given her. She wondered why the Malfoys bothered to hire human servants when they already had servants who were enslaved and couldn't leave. Now that Hermione thought about it, she noticed some haunting parallels between a house elf's situation and her own. Repressing a shiver, she ignored that thought and followed the others into the Hall.  
  
Pulling herself away from her unsettling thoughts, she heard Draco make an excuse for them to leave the Manor earlier than usual. Narcissa seemed both relieved that they were going and apprehensive about being left with her husband in a foul mood. Lucius Malfoy just looked coldly at his son, as if trying to see through him. Draco's polite smile faltered slightly, and he hastily (but still with the aforementioned grace that was bestowed upon his whole family) took his and Hermione's coats from a servant. He gave his mother a soft kiss on the cheek before leading Hermione out of Malfoy Manor.  
  
On the way home in a muggle car that Draco had bought a few short weeks ago, they sat in silence once more. Hermione's mind was buzzing, much like it did when she was given a particular problem and became intent on solving it. She started to open her mouth and talk, but all of a sudden a command formed in her mind, an order Draco had unconsciously given her.  
  
This had happened several times since the wedding, but it never failed to surprise her when it occurred. Of course she knew what it was. It really wasn't that shocking, when she thought about it. After all, didn't the magical bonds between them make her comply with every one of his commands? And Hermione had come to the realization that orders formed in his mind but not spoken were still orders that she had to obey.  
  
When she had first asked Draco about it, whether he was consciously giving her orders through his thoughts, he had been astonished that he could actually do that. Hermione had explained about the several times when he had been at work and she had sensed things he wanted her to do by the time he came home. He had been thrilled, especially when he realized that he could order her around whenever he liked, no matter where he was and whom he was with. While Draco was usually a very respectable person, she had discovered that he enjoyed, in a rather depraved and annoying way, her subservience to him. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear any of her thoughts, so she couldn't even protest mentally when he ordered her around.  
  
So, when Hermione heard the distant echoing of his voice in the back of her mind, telling her to be quiet until they got home, she complied reluctantly. The silence was getting to her, and she wondered if Draco would get mad if she turned on the automobile's radio. Hermione looked down at the tiny knobs and buttons, trying to discern which turned the music on. Because she had taken Muggle Studies at school, she knew what a car radio was and how to work it, but couldn't remember which buttons were which.  
  
Thinking that she would try the large black knob at the right, she reached a finger out to turn it. When her fingertip was about to come into contact with the cool metal, she felt Draco's hand over hers, and she sensed him adding 'Don't make any noise, and that includes the radio' to his earlier command. Hermione gave him a grumpy look, and leaned back in her seat. She tried to play a song in her head, but at the moment her thoughts were devoid of any music.  
  
[A/N: Okay, there is chapter nine. Sorry about the angst-y ending. I didn't mean for it to stop with Hermione so depressed. Extra points to whoever can figure out why Lucius was so pissed. He He He. Previously I said that there would be 12 chapters, but I think that after I've tortured you for so long that I will combine the last two and make it end at chapter eleven. Because if I didn't, you would have to read the mother of all cliffhangers. Seriously. I felt terrible writing it, but I did. However, now I'm thinking that I'll be nice to all my great readers/reviewers and not make them suffer anymore. So that means that the next chapter will be the end of the story and is. dun dun dun twice as long as the normal chapters! I knew that would make all of you jump for joy since you've all been yelling at me about that. Lol. Oh, one more thing before I let you go and review this chapter [hint hint]: Please don't ask me to post the next chapter immediately, even though it's already written. I need to have it a few more days so that I can get at least the first part of the sequel done. Well, I think that's it. Tell me in a review what you think of this chapter and humor me with your predictions. He He He.] 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven  
  
Hermione's silence lasted through to the next morning, even though Draco remembered his wording and undid the command for her to make no noise. Over breakfast Draco seemed to catch onto the fact that Hermione was mad at him, and he attempted to apologize.  
  
"Listen, Hermione, I didn't mean to shut you out last night like I did. I was just trying to think and I like it to be quiet. Forgive me, okay?"  
  
"Of course I forgive you, but it doesn't leave room for other options when you make me," said Hermione.  
  
"Oh. I didn't even notice that," he said, shrugging his shoulders at her. "Will you forgive me this time?" His tone was playful, and he leaned over and swiped a piece of hair that had fallen into her face.  
  
"Yes," replied Hermione, leaning forward and taking his lips with hers. He returned her passion and pulled her out of her chair so that they could stand closer. He wrapped his arms around her and held her closer, parting her lips with his tongue. Her hands drifted up his back and tangled into his hair, dragging his head even closer and crushing her mouth into his.  
  
Hermione pulled away after several minutes, leaving Draco looking disappointed. "I have to tell you something."  
  
"Can't it wait?" asked Draco, letting his hands wander under her shirt. Hermione giggled nervously but pushed away his exploring fingers.  
  
"This morning I. I mean. It just found out. Uh," stammered Hermione, looking at the floor.  
  
Draco seemed to ignore her attempts to tell him something important and instead moved his mouth to her ear, where he sucked and licked at her earlobe. Hermione, thinking it was best to just come out and say it quickly, blurted out a sentence rapidly. "DracoIknowyouwantedtowaitabitlongerbutIfoundoutthismorningthatI'mpregnant!"  
  
Draco let her ear slip from between his lips and took a step back, looking at her as if in a daze. Hermione waited anxiously for him to speak, but he didn't. Instead, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him and kissing her fervently. When he finally pulled back, he left Hermione flushed and still waiting for him to say something. "Hermione, that's great. I don't care if we wait or not," said Draco, for once letting down his cool façade and grinning happily.  
  
Hermione sighed, relieved, and then smiled back and tugged him to her. They kept kissing for quite awhile, and Draco had just pulled her in the direction of the door to their bedroom when they were somewhat distracted.  
  
They were unpleasantly interrupted when a loud tapping noise echoed near to them. Hermione sighed and separated from her husband. A large, silvery- white owl was perched on the outside sill of a window, tapping impatiently and looking miffed that he had to wait this long.  
  
Draco started towards the window, but Hermione put a hand on his arm, suddenly very scared. "Do you think it's about my parents?"  
  
"Maybe," said Draco, wanting to open it before the aggravated owl scratched through the window altogether.  
  
"Would there be an answer after only one day?"  
  
"Maybe," repeated Draco, getting annoyed at Hermione's apprehension. She was still gripping his arm, and he wanted to just open the stupid letter so that they could get back to kissing. He turned his head to look at her, and, seeing the mixed emotions painted onto her face, he felt something that might have been compassion enter him. Draco, confused at the strange sensation of wanting to make someone other than himself feel better, hesitated before gathering her into his arms.  
  
Hermione could feel the small change in him, and the part of her mind that was always receiving orders from him heard a different kind of message now. Instead of the calculated and controlled commands he issued to her rarely or on accident, she felt a request from him. It was rather complex, and she could barely interpret it. Hermione had the impression that Draco didn't even know what he was asking, and wasn't about to try and clarify it.  
  
With difficulty, Hermione extracted herself from Draco's strong arms and looked resolutely towards the window. She took a deep breath as if she were about to dive into an unknown body of water (which, in a way, she was). As the air filled her lungs, so did Draco's unique scent, a mixture of light cologne and something that was only him- indescribable but so precious.  
  
"Open it," said Hermione, deciding that not knowing was worse. Draco raised an eyebrow at her order, but went to the window anyway. He opened the window and let the irritated owl swoop in and land on the table. Hermione felt a pang of nervousness go through her, and in order to prolong the time until she had to find out, she practically yelled at Draco, "Why don't we send a letter to your mother first?"  
  
He looked at her as if she were insane, and asked, "Why?"  
  
"Let's tell her about the baby," said Hermione, hoping to procrastinate opening the letter, or maybe never open it at all.  
  
He must have sensed why she was acting oddly, so he took a piece of parchment off of the table and scribbled a note to his parents quickly. "Wouldn't you rather tell them in person?"  
  
"Um. Not really. Not after last night, anyway," said Hermione quietly, referring to the way Lucius had looked at her coldly. "But we can tell my parents in person when we see them tomorrow."  
  
"You mean then Coltones?"  
  
"Of course," said Hermione indignantly. "They may not be my biological parents, but they'll always be my real parents." Draco put the note to the Malfoys in an envelope and attached it to the owl's leg. The owl had been growing more impatient and was currently clawing at the table's wooden surface, leaving long scratches in the polish.  
  
She watched as he removed the roll of parchment about her parents from the owl's leg and undid the seal that closed the envelope. The ill-tempered owl swooped out of the open window, biting Draco hard on the ear as it left. Hermione watched apprehensively as Draco read the letter, her stomach churning nervously.  
  
[A/N: This was where I planned to stop chanpter eleven, but I decided that I couldn't be that cruel.]  
  
His eyes swept over the first few sentences, reading quickly and smoothly. Hermione saw his eyes go wide and then a look of contained horror flashed into them. Panic bubbled up inside of her and she crossed the room and stood next to him, trying to read over his shoulder. As soon as she got there, he closed the letter quickly and turned to Hermione.  
  
"You have to go," he said softly but quickly. She noticed that he was avoiding her eyes.  
  
"What?" The panic disappeared, and left a strong feeling of confusion and fear in its wake. "What do you mean?"  
  
"My father. He'll know by now and he'll come here," muttered Draco to himself, making Hermione's confusion triple.  
  
"Let me read the letter, Draco!"  
  
He looked at her sharply, as if he had forgotten that she was there, but handed it over nonetheless. Hermione's eyes scanned the letter, and she found herself even more confused than ever. Her birth parents had been muggles; Helen and Roger Granger. This in itself was confusing, as she had lived her whole life in a society of purebloods and had always assumed she was like them.  
  
What was more bewildering to her, however, was how Draco had reacted. The horrified look in his eyes made her feel betrayed and prickly. Was he ashamed of her now that he knew her heritage? Did he discriminate against muggle-borns like many of wizarding community? And why had he told her to leave? Was he kicking her out of their home? Would he be so cruel as to abandon his wife? Would he also desert his child? Uneasiness leaked into her, and she was reminded of how little she actually knew him. They had known each other for just over a month, and Hermione began to feel that she shouldn't have abandoned her initial feelings of hostility.  
  
Looking up into Draco's face, she saw a mix of feelings that shocked her. The desperation on his face made her confusion increase. Was he worried about her or him? And what did his father have to do with it? Why did Draco mention Lucius?  
  
"Hermione, you have to leave before he gets here," he said. "I didn't realize it, but my father knew all about our search for your birth parents. That's why he was angry the other night. And now he'll know that you're a muggle-born. He won't like it- you heard him talking about how inferior muggles are to wizards." He said this in a low voice and looked sad as let the words sink in.  
  
"How would he know?"  
  
"The man I hired to find out knew him from school and they see each other at the Ministry sometimes. I only knew him through Lucius." Draco took a deep breath, looking incredibly regretful. "I'm almost sure that Lucius would be informed about your parents at the same time as us, if not before."  
  
"What would he do?"  
  
Draco hesitated, obviously not wanting to tell her. "My father. Well, he isn't a good person," sighed Draco, putting it lightly. "Since there's no divorce after magical marriages, he might decide that he had to get rid of you another way. He wouldn't want to have you around as a reminder of our marriage."  
  
Hermione felt the words sink in, and felt her throat close up. She managed to croak out, "You mean he might try to kill me?"  
  
"He wouldn't just try. He'd make certain you were gone. And then he'd cover it up so that no one would ever find out."  
  
Hermione clutched her stomach, feeling it twisting and she had the overwhelming urge to be sick. Then, she suddenly realized something. "The baby," she sobbed.  
  
Draco looked up, the desperation on his face growing. They had just sent a letter to his parents, telling them that Hermione was expecting. Lucius was a purist through and through. He wouldn't want to just get rid of Hermione, but he would also want to kill their baby in order to remove a permanent reminder of the Malfoy blood being tainted by muggles. Draco told Hermione this softly, as if he was trying not to panic.  
  
Hermione sobbed even harder, clutching her middle harder. Draco pulled her into his arms, thinking hard. She let herself relax a little into his embrace, feeling his strong arms around her for what seemed might be the last time. When he pulled back, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a tiny gold key.  
  
"Take this," he said, handing it to her. "It's the key to our Gringotts vault. Take as much money as you can and go. When I figure something else out- when it's safe, I'll find you. Just go."  
  
Hermione's stomach twisted even further as she tried to resist Draco's order. Her attempts to ignore the command were cut short as she heard their house's front door slam and heavy footsteps running across the hall. "Go!"  
  
Hermione willed herself to dissapparate, and as she started to spin away from her home, she tried to gasp out, "I love you" to Draco. Her words were cut off, however, as she vanished. For several seconds she was suspended in nothingness, traveling rapidly away from Draco. She was leaving. She had found a way to escape her marriage, something she had thought was impossible. But, as she spun through space, she wondered if she still wanted to leave.  
  
The End.  
  
[LAST Author's Note: Well there's the end! What do you think? I just bet you think I'm truly horrible to leave it like that. And of course you do. I even felt guilty doing that to the story. But just to console myself that I'm not a terrible, horrible person, there will be a sequel. Yes! A sequel! But it wont be out for a while since I haven't decided how it will go and I've only written a little bit. Now that school is started up again, I barely have time to update.  
  
However, while you wait in excited suspense (yeah, right) I will shamelessly plug another story of mine that you could maybe read it you like. Or, with as little shame as possible. If you like Lily/James stories, then you should read mine, titled "Simple Complexities."  
  
So hopefully you'll have fun with that one, and I'll see you at the sequel. Tah Tah!  
  
--CC] 


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